Why I Wear Makeup

I think this is a post I’ve seen in various forms floating around the blog world for quite a while now, but I’ve never actually sat down and thought about it and what it means to me until now. Before I start I just want to say I am fine with my bare face now, I’m very happy with my skin and, while there’s things I would consider improving given the chance, I don’t actually hate the way I look. I think this is a common assumption towards those who wear makeup, that you’re trying to somehow mislead or cover up (which is attached to you as a person, rather than an aesthetic) and I don’t believe that is always the case.

I love makeup, there’s no denying it. I started wearing it in school to both express myself and hide myself simultaneously, layering my skin in MAC powder foundation (the worst one I could have picked) to cover my acne which really bothered me at the time and lashing on the mascara, maybe an eyeliner flick when I could get away with it. On weekends, I would powder my face white, don as much dark eye makeup as I could and proudly match my all black velvet looks to fit in with the goth genre. I didn’t mind the stares or weird looks I received from passersby, it’s exactly how I wanted to look and I was doing it for me and me only.

That is precisely where I established my relationship with makeup. Even from the age of 14/15 when makeup was a fairly new concept to me, I’ve always worn it with myself in mind. This isn’t a vain act or something to be ashamed of, but I’ve never applied something with the initial intention of impressing someone else, even for a date, I’ve always put thoughts about how I look and how it makes me feel first.

I don’t believe in wearing makeup for male attention, and find those men who think women wear makeup solely for them to be entirely misguided. There’s been a few times my boyfriend has said I would look fine with less or that he’s not keen on my lipstick shade, but he gets the same response each time and you can probably imagine what that is. He is, however, coming from a genuine place, unlike a lot of people (and the media) who add to the notion that women literally cannot win when it comes to makeup.

I apply makeup because it’s got me through a lot. From my horrible acne stage where I wanted to cover up, to putting on a red lipstick and feeling like I can face whatever rubbish comes my way, makeup has a profound effect on my opinion of myself and how I project myself into the world. I appreciate the act of applying makeup, I find it theraputic at times, and how it can completely transform me into the ‘me’ I want to be, no matter the amount of sleep I’ve had or the mood I’m in.

It seems to silly to think deeply about makeup, but as a woman, a beauty blogger and a consumer of the media, I am aware of what it can do for people and how it impacts me personally. Plus, there’s nothing better than a new lipstick, eh?